Champions League Round of 16 Week Two Roundup

Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid

Copenhagen 0-2 Chelsea

Marseille 0-0 Manchester United

Inter Milan 0-1 Bayern München

Roundup

Another week of Champions League football has come to a close, and although this week lacked some of the excitement of last week’s games these first leg matches certainly set the tone for thrilling return legs in Madrid, Manchester, and Munich.

To my great pleasure, Manchester United were dull and uninspiring against Marseille, however I still don’t see the French side winning at Old Trafford.  I can only hope that OM will seize a 1-1 draw to knock United out on away goals.

Much was made in the media about Chelsea’s trip to Copenhagen, where the home side was previously unbeaten in Champions League play.  That statistic, combined with Chelsea’s abysmal form recently seemed to bode well for an upset.  In all seriousness though, Copenhagen never stood a chance.  There is a reason that this Copenhagen team is the first Danish side ever to reach this stage of the competition, and that is simply that they don’t have the quality of the world-class teams in the Champions League.

With that being said, Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard, and Ramires were very impressive for Chelsea. Meanwhile, Fernando Torres is beginning to look comfortable playing with his new teammates (or maybe it was just weak opposition), but he still looks afraid to shoot.  On numerous occasions Torres took one touch too many, allowing the goalkeeper or a defender to dispossess him before he could fire a shot.   I won’t hide the fact that it pleases me immensely to see him struggle like this after all the drama of the January transfer window.

The rematch of last year’s final between Inter Milan and Bayern München was an exciting affair that could have easily ended 2-2 or 2-3 rather than 0-1.  Both sides were aggressive and generally played well, however they also both lacked clinical finishing.  Samuel Eto’o will certainly feel slighted to have not scored, as Thomas Kraft turned in an inspiring performance in goal for Bayern.  The second leg in Munich stands out to me as the game to look forward to out of these ties.

For my opinions on Lyon vs. Real Madrid feel free to refer to my previous blog entry.  Before I send you on to my team of the week I’d like to mention that Dirk Kuyt headed Liverpool into the Europa League round of 16 tonight.  The mighty Reds will take on Sporting Braga of Portugal and their odd stadium that is built into a quarry.

That’s it for this week’s Champions League entry; sorry for the lack of pictures I’ve been busy.  As for my next post, Liverpool is in action against West Ham on Sunday so expect a piece about that one.

Team of the week

Goalkeeper:

Thomas Kraft (Bayern München)

Kraft was outstanding in the first leg of Bayern’s tie with Inter Milan.  This is a fixture that has received a great deal of billing, and rightfully so considering it is a rematch of last year’s final.  The 22 year-old Kraft was unshaken by the pressure and played an immense role in Bayern’s close win, making numerous saves including a brilliant quick reaction to deny Samuel Eto’o, who made a case for man of the match himself despite not scoring.

Defenders:

Cris (Lyon)

Lyon’s captain and bruising center-half played an outstanding game against Real Madrid on Tuesday.  Cris was integral in breaking up numerous attacks from Real, and even got himself an assist when he headed a free-kick down to Bafetimbi Gomis in the 87^th minute.  The Brazilian’s fiery personality was  on full display when he got involved in minor confrontations with Xabi Alonso and other Real Madrid players throughout the match.

Aly Cissokho (Lyon)

If there is currently a more promising young tandem at fullback and winger in world football than Aly Cissokho and Michel Bastos at Lyon then I’d like to know about it.  The 23 year-old Frenchman showed against Real Madrid that he is not only fully capable of competent defending, but also that he has a sensational understanding with his partner down the left flank.  Cissokho found himself in numerous dangerous positions throughout the match, and will undoubtedly be disappointed to be without his partner in crime, Bastos, in the second leg after Bastos’ yellow card in Lyon.

Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)

Always solid at the back (unless he’s facing Fernando Torres), Vidic put in a good performance for United in Marseille.  I must admit however, that he made it into my team of the week as something of a token player from that unspectacular affair.  Although neither club ever looked particularly threatening, Marseille looked the better side in terms of chance creation, and Vidic combined well with Chris Smalling at the back to ensure that United did not concede.

Philipp Lahm (Bayern München)

Germany’s captain was excellent in Milan.  He eliminated the threat of opposite fullback Cristian Chivu, and came forward to provide a wide threat whenever Arjen Robben cut inside. Inter was able to create a decent amount of chances on goal during the game, however Lahm was certainly not to blame. He can thank Thomas Kraft for keeping the Germans in the tie, which they now stand as favorites to win bringing a one-goal advantage back to Munich.

Midfielders:

Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)

Zanetti has proven over the years that he is capable of excelling in defense or the midfield, and on this occasion his role as a ball-winning and ball-playing midfielder cannot be understated.  The Inter captain neutralized Bayern’s Franck Ribery and was always looking to hit the Germans on a counter whenever he dispossessed his opponents.

Arjen Robben (Bayern München)

Perhaps the best performer of the week, Arjen Robben was simply too quick for Esteban Cambiasso and Cristian Chivu.  The Dutchman looked the most likely to score of anyone on the pitch, and was unlucky when one of his shots went off the post.  Robben’s tireless attacking mentality was rewarded indirectly in the 90^th minute when Julio Cesar fumbled his driven shot into the path of Mario Gomes who scored Bayern’s vital away goal.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Lampard was the key to Chelsea’s dominant victory in Denmark.  Yes, Nicolas Anelka did all the scoring (and got himself into the team of the week as well), but it was Lampard whose creativity in the midfield created numerous opportunities for the visitors.  His wonderful assist on Anelka’s second goal rounded out a successful night on which Chelsea simply overmatched their opposition.

Ramires (Chelsea)

Ramires is proving to be an excellent midfield partner for Frank Lampard and Michael Essien.  The Brazilian ball-winner showed a tireless work rate throughout the game, and was all over the park gaining possession for his team.  Even though Chelsea are undoubtedly more talented than Copenhagen, they still need to perform to their standard of quality in order to win.  In this instance, Ramires was a fine example of a Chelsea player stepping up to the occasion to perform at his best.

Forwards:

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

No one will be happier with the result of Real Madrid’s first tip to Lyon without losing than Karim Benzema.  The former Lyon star was greeted with a heroes welcome upon being introduced in the 64^th minute, and put his new team ahead just 42 seconds later with a collected finish to end a wonderful Real Madrid team move.  He will be disappointed that his goal did not end up being the match winner, however the away goal with be a massive factor in the return leg at the Bernabeu where Jose Mourinho is yet to lose.

Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

Anyone who scores a brace in Champions League play is likely to find himself in the team of the week, and Nicolas Anelka is no exception.  The French striker benefitted from a howling error by a former Chelsea player to score his first goal, and then from a sublime pass from Frank Lampard for his second.  His goals against Copenhagen were his sixth and seventh in his last six Champions League games, certainly not a bad scoring record for le Incredible Sulk.

Substitutes

Chris Smalling (Manchester United)

Souleymane Diawara (Marseille)

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern München)

Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)

Holder Badstuber (Bayern München)

Olympique Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho’s Galacticos entered the Stade de Gerland in Lyon looking to take the first result in club history from the ground.  Prior to this game Real had lost four out of four trips to Lyon, including a 1-0 result at this stage of the competition last season.

Entering the game, a contingent of the Spanish media was critical of Jose’s decision to start former Liverpool man Alvaro Arbeloa at left back instead of Marcelo.  The Brazilian Marcelo certainly poses a much greater threat than Arbeloa going forward, especially considering that Arbeloa is naturally right-footed.  To me, picking Marcelo over Arbeloa would have been a sign of over-confidence, therefore I agree with Mourinho’s decision to select a more defensive fullback.  The Special One clearly recognized the fact that Lyon would pose a challenge even without star striker Lisandro Lopez (injured), especially considering his club’s record at the Stade de Gerland.

Lyon certainly could have used Lopez in this one.  While the side looked up for the game and showed excellent resilience to equalize after Real went ahead, Lopez’s replacement Bafetimbi Gomis was off the mark on two good chances in the first half.  The most notable miss from Gomis involved a rare miscue from Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.  Casillas squandered a save from a ball into the box, and Gomis sent the ball miles over the crossbar from inside the area after it fell right to his feet.  It was undoubtedly a difficult shot, but it was one I would have expected a Champions League striker to finish.

To Gomis’s credit he did not let the missed chances affect his work rate.  The big center forward continued to hustle after any and every ball played forward, often without much support from his teammates.  Finally, he was able to find the net from a Cris header on a set piece to earn Lyon’s late equalizer.  Gomis deserved his goal for the effort that he put into the game from start to finish.

As much as Gomis’s goal was deserved for his hard work, Karim Benzema’s opener less than a minute from his introduction to the match will be the story of the night.  Benzema was given a rousing round of applause from the fans of his former club, where he played a key role in four consecutive league-winning seasons. With his first involvement in the game, Benzema received an excellent first-touch pass from Cristiano Ronaldo and took the ball past two defenders before shooting with just enough power and luck to sneak through Hugo Lloris’s legs and past Cris into the net.

Benzema did not celebrate out of respect for his former team, however he will certainly be very proud of his return to Lyon.  Consequentially, the goal was the first ever for Real Madrid at the Stade de Gerland.  It is only fitting that a former icon of the home club scored the first Real Madrid goal in Lyon.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a fine game for Real Madrid, and he was unlucky not to score from a free kick in the second half.  Ronaldo’s effort was only inches off the mark and rocketed back off the far post.  Ronaldo had another free kick from a very similar location not long after the first.  In this instance, Yoann Gourcuff who was on the wall blocked his delivery.  Ronaldo immediately appealed for a handball—and replays showed that he might have had a point—but the decision was not given.  Ronaldo’s contribution was not limited to the free kicks and his assist however.  He looked dangerous throughout the game, and his entire array of flicks and tricks was on display including step-overs, back-heels, and even a rabona.

Lyon will face an unsavory task entering the Bernebeu at 1-1 having conceded an away goal.  To make matters worse, Michel Bastos was booked in this game thus ruling him out of the second leg in Madrid.  The young Brazilian winger was one of Lyon’s most creative players in the first half, linking up very well with Aly Cissokho, and I was disappointed to see him substituted off in the 70^th minute.

All in all, Lyon will consider themselves fortunate to have earned the home draw against Real Madrid tonight.  However, I simply cannot foresee the French club advancing past this round of the competition at this point.  It will be a massive task to overcome Jose Mourinho’s men at their ground, especially when considering that Mourinho is unbeaten at home in nine years spanning back to his Porto days.

Real Madrid will feel unlucky not to have won for the first time in Lyon, but the away goal that they scored could prove to be very beneficial.  I expect to see a more attack-minded Madrid squad in the return leg, and I would not be surprised to see Real win by a two-goal margin at home to advance to the quarter-finals.

It's late and I haven't yet had time to watch Copenhagen vs. Chelsea (although I am aware of the result), so tomorrow will be a long day of watching football and updating the blog.  Thanks for reading, stay tuned, and feel free to leave comments.

Champions League Round of 16 Week One Roundup

What a start to the 2011 Champions League Knockout Rounds!  With only one draw, football fans were rewarded with entertaining, end-to-end action in all four of this week’s matches.  It turned out to be a great week for English football, and it is only fitting that Arsenal defeated Barcelona to outshine their bitter rivals Tottenham, who overcame AC Milan at the San Siro.

For me, the game of the week had to be Arsenal’s inspired comeback against Barcelona.  The Catalans looked the better side in the first half and enjoyed a one-goal lead at the break.  However, Arsenal attacked with a vengeance in the second half, while Barca’s players looked largely uninterested in getting forward.  Led by career defining performances from Laurent Koscielny and young Jack Wilshere, Arsenal deserved their equalizer. It was a good goal from Robin van Persie from an angle reminiscent of a couple of Dani Alves’ goals in a Brazil shirt.  The Gunners were not finished however, with Andriy Arshavin snatching the winner with a placed effort created by Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

My attention was not solely on Arsenal vs. Barcelona today though.  While watching the match at the Emirates live on Fox Soccer Channel I was simultaneously tuning in to Roma vs. Shakhtar on FoxSoccer.tv.  The clash between Roma and Shakhtar was surely the most unsung of the fixtures in the Champions League this week, however the Ukrainians first ever appearance in this stage of the competition turned out to be arguably the most entertaining of all the matches played.

There was a heavy Brazilian influence in the Shakhtar side (including all three goal-scorers), and though large parts of the match were uneventful, there were a few moments of inspiration that led to fine finishes.  Douglas Costa’s goal for Shakhtar and Jeremy Menez’s effort for Roma stood out as the pick of the goals.  Roma now face a nearly impossible task in traveling to Donetsk, where Shakhtar disposed of Arsenal 2-1 in the Group Stage, and overcoming three away goals to win the tie on aggregate.

As entertaining as Wednesday’s fixtures were, one cannot look past the football that was played on Tuesday night in Valencia and Milan.  Valencia will be largely disappointed with their result against Schalke, but they must consider themselves fortunate to have finished with the result at 1-1 as Schalke looked very dangerous after finally managing to level the match.  The game at the Mestalla was highlighted by a record-breaking goal for former Real Madrid superstar Raul.

Raul netted his 71^st career European goal, surpassing Milan’s Filippo Inzaghi on the all time chart.  It is important to note that Raul’s was not the only goal scored in the match.  In fact, Roberto Soldado’s opener is my pick of the goals scored this week in the Champions League.  Valencia broke quickly after intercepting a pass in the midfield, and Jeremy Mathieu’s beautiful cross found Soldado for a sublime volley past Manuel Neuer.

Tottenham’s second trip to Rome this season was in stark contrast to their first.  After a horrid start against Inter during the group stage, Spurs fought back behind a Gareth Bale hat-trick, only to fall 4-3 to the Champions League holders.  This time around, Spurs were without Bale but were certainly full of confidence.   They dominated the first half but were unable to find the net, and as the second half got heated and the intensity was turned up by Milan following the introduction of Alex Pato, Spurs responded to every blow that the Italians offered.

It is a shame that Peter Crouch’s counter-attacking goal created by Aaron Lennon will be largely overshadowed by the on-field behavior of Mathieu Flamini and Genarro Gattuso of Milan.  Flamini dove into a two-footed, studs-up tackle on Vedran Corluka that forced the Spurs man to be substituted off with an injury, and was only shown a yellow card by the referee for his efforts.  Gattuso’s offenses were more numerous and even more inflammatory.  After the foul by Flamini, Gattuso could be seen arguing with Spurs coach Joe Jordan on the touchline, and he went so far as to grip the old man by the neck and give him a shove.  Gattuso wasn’t finished however, he was diving into reckless challenges all over the pitch and threw a childish hissy fit when he was finally booked for his repeated offenses.  After the match, Gattuso was not finished.  The Milan captain returned to confront Jordan, and this time opted for a head-butt as his preferred method of attack.

All in all, it has been a great start to the Champions League Knockout Rounds in 2011.  I am very much looking forward to next week’s action.  Included in this entry are my Team of the Week for the week of February 15^th/16^th in the Champions League as well as a comic book breakdown of my Goal of the Week scored by Roberto Soldado of Valencia.

Goal of the Week:

UEFA Champions League Team of the Week

Goalkeeper:

Heuerelho Gomes – Tottenham Hotspur

Gomes turned in one of his finest performances in recent memory against Milan, repeatedly denying Mario Yepes’ headed attempts on set pieces.  In a week of otherwise unremarkable goalkeeping, Gomes’ performance stood out as the cream of the crop.

Defenders:

Jeremy Mathieu – Valencia

Having played with Valencia in Football Manager 2010, Mathieu has become a player I am pre-conditioned to pull for.  With that being said, his performance against Schalke was very good for Los Che.  Mathieu’s defensive duties were performed well, and his marauding run forward on the overlap and subsequent first-touch cross created Roberto Soldado’s goal that put Valencia one goal to the good before Raul left his mark on the tie.

Laurent Koscielny – Arsenal

In what was perhaps the best performance of the week, the Frenchman Laurent Koscielny was stellar at the back for the Gunners. Koscielny was never rattled after Gael Clichy mistakenly played David Villa onside for the opener, and his role in breaking up the frequent Barca attacks of the first half (as well as the much less frequent Barca attacks of the second) cannot be underestimated.  It is always a tough task to line up against the most in-form side in the world and Koscielny was the rock at the back that Arsenal needed to come out victorious.

Michael Dawson – Tottenham Hotspur

It was an historic victory for Tottenham Hotspur at the San Siro on Tuesday night, and this England international had a leading role to play.  Dawson was integral in withstanding Milan’s offensive onslaught early in the second half, and he helped his team maintain composure while Gattuso and Flamini did their best to inflict pain and dismay on the Spurs.  Heading, blocking shots, tackling; Dawson did it all for Tottenham.

Emmanuel Eboue – Arsenal

There are many situations I go to sleep dreaming about finding myself in.  Lining up at full back against Barcelona is most certainly not one of them.  The Ivorian looked lively all night and supported Theo Walcott very well coming forward.  More importantly, Eboue was competent in defense, making tackles and interceptions to get Arsenal out of many a tight spot.

Midfielders:

Jack Wilshere – Arsenal

Take a bow, son!  Fresh off of earning his first England cap at the tender age of 19, Arsenal’s number 19 played Barcelona off the park at the Emirates with superb ball winning and composed passing. Wilshere looked strong on the ball and it was not an uncommon occurrence to find him muscling his much older Barca counterparts off the ball.  It was a performance that the most seasoned professionals would have ranked among their best, on one of football’s biggest stages, and it came from a boy who can’t even buy himself a drink here in the States.

Francesc Fabregas – Arsenal

Even though the Gunners dominated the first ten minutes, Cesc still found himself having a particularly slow start against his old mates from Catalonia.  However, once he settled in he became as dangerous a playmaker as ever.  Fabregas linked will with Jack Wilshere all game and played a lovely ball up to Samir Nasri which eventually led to Arshavin’s match-winner.

Aaron Lennon – Tottenham Hotspur

Lennon’s destruction of AC Milan can be described in a word.  Pace.  Milan’s defenders were exposed for the decrepit old men that they are by Lennon’s blistering runs.  Constantly dangerous, he was finally able to link up with Peter Crouch in the 80^th minute to give Spurs a thoroughly deserved victory at the San Siro.

Jose Jurado – Schalke 04

Whenever Schalke threatened (which admittedly was not all too often) they played through Jose Manuel Jurado.  The Spaniard showed great ability to make precise passes as well as the intelligence to create chances.  He will surely remember his assist to Raul for the rest of his days, having carved out a small piece of history as his teammate broke the all time record for goals in European competition.

Attackers:

Raul – Schalke 04

Valencia looked the more likely side for the first hour or so of the match, but Raul still managed to steal the spotlight from his old rivals.  The former Real Madrid man looked hungry for a goal throughout the match, and took his chance perfectly when it came.  Raul’s goal broke Filippo Inzaghi’s European goal-scoring record.  It was his 71^st goal in European competition.

Peter Crouch – Tottenham Hotspur

Being tall and gangly myself, Peter Crouch is something of a hero to me. For this reason, I was delighted to see him get a goal in Milan, the match-winner no less.  Crouch stood his ground throughout the match whenever he was bruised by the Milan defense or confronted by Gennaro Gattuso.  He smartly stayed out of Lennon’s way on the fateful break, and took his chance brilliantly when his teammate layed off a square ball.

Substitutes:

Manuel Neuer – Schalke 04

Luiz Adriano – Shahktar Donetsk

Jeremy Menez – AS Roma

Wilson Palacios – Tottenham Hotspur

Samir Nasri – Arsenal

Willian – Shakhtar Donetsk

Roberto Soldado - Valencia

Welcome!

Welcome to These European Afternoons, an unofficial source of American opinions and analysis on the UEFA Champions League, Liverpool FC, and any other football I see fit.

At this moment I am still getting myself acquainted with the website and its functions, so I beg your pardon if the first few entries are accompanied by frequent tweaks in the layout while I mess around with the settings.

I suppose it is best to begin with an introduction of myself.  My name is Brandon Baum, and I am a student majoring in marketing, business legal studies, and international business at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.  I have been closely following soccer (henceforth referred to as football or some form thereof) for about four years now, and since I've been yearning for some sort of creative outlet to occupy my (sparse) free time I finally decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon.

My addiction to footy began during my junior year of high school watching Chelsea v Liverpool in the Champions League, and--while I'll admit I flirted with Chelsea for a spell--Liverpool have since become my favorite club.  I'm a bit of a romantic when it comes to sports, and Liverpool's rich history coupled with the club's recent trials and tribulations have me hooked.

Unfortunately for my blogging interests Liverpool currently find themselves wallowing in the Europa League, so I'll have a few Europa League blog posts as well.  Who knows, maybe you'll see an entry about King Kenny's Reds marching into Dublin to seize their competition record fourth trophy to be placed next to the five European Cups in the cabinet.

That about does it for the intro. Tomorrow will bring my first full entry to the blog; an analysis of the first two days of fixtures in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, including speculations on each of the four games.

Thanks for stopping by!